Screening of herbal extracts influencing hematopoiesis and their chemical genetic effects in embryonic zebrafish

Objective: To screen the herbal extracts influencing the hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in zebrafish embryos and their chemical genetic effects. Methods: The herbals used in this study had been widely applicable in Siddha medicines in South India. Herbal extracts were treated in zebrafish embryos at 4 d post fertilization and the extracts inducing the HSC were enumerated in hemocytometer. The biocompatibility and the organogenesis of the screened extracts were assessed in the zebrafish embryos for their chemical genetic effects. The LC50 values were calculated with their parallel control. The blood cells were enumerated. Results: The level of RBC was found increased in the Bergera koenigii (B. koenigii) at 15 μg/mL (P<0.05), Mimosa pudica (M. pudica) at 20 μg/mL (P<0.05) and Solanum trilobatum (S. trilobatum) at 25 μg/mL (P<0.05) and decreased RBC level was found in Phyllanthus niruri (P. niruri) at 30 μg/mL (P<0.05). The WBC count was found increased in S. trilobatum at 20 μg/mL (P<0.05) and Annona muricata (Annona muricata) at 15 μg/mL (P<0.05) and the Vitis quadrangularis (V. quadrangularis) at 20 μg/mL (P<0.05) decreased the WBC level. There were no notable effects in heart beats and the chemical genetic effects were observed at higher concentration of the extract resulting in Pericardial bulging, trunk tail flexure with heart edema, fin fold deformities etc. Conclusions: This in vivo based screening of Hematopoiesis is an inexpensive assay to screen herbal compounds and found that S. trilobatum extract influenced embryonic HSC in zebrafish, which could be a therapeutic for blood related disorders.

Isolation of a small molecule with anti-MRSA activity from a mangrove symbiont Streptomyces sp. PVRK-1 and its biomedical studies inZebrafish embryos

Objective: The aim of the present study was to isolate the anti-MRSA (Methicillin ResistantStaphylococcus aureus ) molecule from the Mangrove symbiont Streptomyces and its biomedical studies in Zebrafish embryos. Methods: MRSA was isolated from the pus samples of Colachal hospitals and confirmed by amplification of mecA gene. Anti-MRSA molecule producing strain was identified by 16s rRNA gene sequencing. Anti-MRSA compound production was optimized by Solid State Fermentation (SSF) and the purification of the active molecule was carried out by TLC and RP-HPLC. The inhibitory concentration and LC50 were calculated using Statistical software SPSS. The Biomedical studies including the cardiac assay and organ toxicity assessment were carried out in Zebrafish. Results: The bioactive anti-MRSA small molecule A2 was purified by TLC with Rf value of 0.37 with 1.389 retention time at RP-HPLC. The Inhibitory Concentration of the purified molecule A2 was 30 μg/mL but, the inhibitory concentration of the MRSA in the infected embryo was 32-34 μg/mL for TLC purified molecule A2 with LC50 mean value was 61.504 μg/mL. Zebrafish toxicity was assessed in 48-60 μg/mL by observing the physiological deformities and the heart beat rates (HBR) of embryos for anti MRSA molecule showed the mean of 41.33-41.67 HBR/15 seconds for 40 μg/mL and control was 42.33-42.67 for 15 seconds which significantly showed that the anti-MRSA molecule A2 did not affected the HBR. Conclusions:Anti-MRSA molecule from Streptomyces sp PVRK-1 was isolated and biomedical studies in Zebrafish model assessed that the molecule was non toxic at the minimal inhibitory concentration of MRSA.

Sweet's syndrome preceding carcinoma of the adrenal cortex.

A case of Sweet's syndrome preceding carcinoma of the adrenal cortex is reported. Sweet's syndrome can be a rare premalignant manifestation of carcinoma of adrenal cortex.